Appliance fires, such as furnace fires and clothes dryer fires, are a persistent problem. Appliance fires result in significant property damage, injury and death each year. According to statistics reported by the National Fire Protection Association, there were 14,300 residential clothes dryer fires in the United States in 1998, resulting in 19 deaths, 312 injuries and $67.7 million in direct property damage. U.S. Home Product Report: Appliances and Equipment Involved in Fires, NFPA Journal, January, 2002.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for fire extinguishing systems for appliances.